UCS 2008 Cartoon Winner

Justin Bilicki of Brooklyn is the winner of the Union of Concerned Scientists' 2008 Science Idol: Scientific Integrity Editorial Cartoon Contest. The original watercolor print is being auctioned online, with proceeds going to UCS.

The winning cartoon, selected from hundreds of entries from across the country, shows a scientist revealing the findings: "We are destroying the Earth." Two government officials look on, and one with a briefcase overflowing with cash notes, "Could you kindly rephrase that in equivocal, inaccurate, vague, self-serving and roundabout terms that we can all understand?"

Bilicki, who is a senior art director at the Avenue A | Razorfish advertising agency, will receive a cash prize and a trip to Washington, and his work will be featured in the UCS 2009 scientific integrity calendar, along with the other contest finalists.

Finalists were selected by a panel of award-winning cartoonists featuring Dave Coverly, creator of "Speed Bump"; Wiley Miller, the creator of "Non Sequitur"; Kevin Kallaugher (KAL), editorial cartoonist at The Economist; Mike Keefe, editorial cartoonist at The Denver Post; Signe Wilkinson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist at The Philadelphia Daily News; and Jesse Springer, the 2007 Science Idol winner.

The Science Idol contest is designed to bring attention to preventing government officials from censoring, manipulating or distorting scientific findings on issues such as public health and global warming.